dr. joyce garret. more than 30 years, she's been the director of the eastern high school choir in northern east d.c. >> in 1988, the eastern choir we to vienna austria and participated in an international music tstival. why came home, they had won the second placey. tro ♪ >> it was a huge deal n because one expected these students who came from an areag struggl with poverty and drug violence to be singing for presidents and celebrities. >> the inner city schoolgohoir o vienna and end up winning in a classicalusal competition. ♪ >> reporter: it was a question so many would ask. but dr. garret will be the first to tell you it started with a drea she was determined to make sure every student who entered her classroom knew that excellence was required every day. >> tnagers like to do whatever is the in thing. so i figured i needed to make being successful the in thing. >> reporter: and that included college. ♪ >> i met dr. garret, a i wasut 14 years old. ♪ >> reporter: something r der gilen't think he was